Roasted Venison with Blackberry Sage Sauce

High-quality venison doesn’t require complex seasonings, which can often mask its true flavor. We prefer to prepare our venison simply and serve it over this sauce.–Broken Arrow Ranch

LC Blackberry Note

Blackberry may not seem an obvious partner for venison. though if you think about it for a moment, the tart sweetness is actually the perfect complement to the rich gaminess of venison. Tell us if you think we’re mistaken. We’re pretty confident that we’re not.

Roasted Venison with Blackberry Sage Sauce Recipe

Ingredients

2cupsbrown veal demi-glace, or 4 cups low-sodium veal or beef stock that has been boiled until it’s reduced by half

2tablespoonsunsalted butter

Salt, to taste

Juice of 1/2 lemon, or to taste

2sprigsfresh sage

For the venison

1poundaxis venison or antelope boneless loin

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

3tablespoonsoil

Directions

Make the sauce

1. Pour the wine into a medium-sized saucepan and bring to a boil. Add the blackberries and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes, until the berries are soft. Add the demi-glace and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and cook, stirring occasionally for about 10 minutes, until the sauce coats the back of a spoon.

2. Strain the sauce through a sieve and whisk in the butter. Season with salt and lemon juice. Place the sage in the sauce and let it steep for 10 to 20 minutes, or until ready to use. Keep warm. Remove the sage before serving.

Make the venison

3. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).

4. Season the loin with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a skillet and brown the meat on all sides. Remove the loin from the pan and let it cool for 10 to 15 minutes.

5. Place the loin on a broiling pan and then into the oven. Roast until the internal temperature reaches 125°F (51°C) on a meat thermometer for rare, or 135°F (57°C) for medium-rare, 10 to 15 minutes. Do not cook past medium-rare, or the venison will become tough and dry. Let the meat rest for 10 minutes.

6. Pour a little of the sauce onto serving plates, slice the loin into 1/4-inch medallions, and fan them on top of the sauce.

Comments

I was gifted a beautiful fresh venison tenderloin, so I put it to work in this recipe. It turned out great. I thought the blackberry and the sage worked together really nicely. As strong as those flavors are, they did not overpower the venison. The zinfandel that I used was just a touch tart, and that tartness lingered in the sauce more than I liked. Next time I may play with a different varietal. I am going to try this same sauce with seared duck breast next, and I expect them to work well together.

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